Item 3: Resolution Entitled “Effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights.” A/HRC/28/L.30
Explanation of Vote by the Delegation of the United States of America
Human Rights Council 28th Session
Geneva, March 26, 2015
The United States is disappointed that this resolution has come up for a vote at this session, and before we had the collective opportunity to reach consensus on how best to further address the problem of the effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights. The issue of countering terrorism while protecting human rights is of fundamental importance, as shown by ongoing international dialogue on that issue in this body and in the broader UN system. However, the draft resolution before us today is not the best way to advance that dialogue, and it contains many problematic elements that require us to vote against it.
It is essential that future efforts on this important topic are the result of careful deliberations and are able to garner consensus among the members of this body. Victims of terrorism deserve no less. Indeed, a divided Council is not inevitable on this issue. Many aspects of this text deviate from well-established consensus text on human rights and counterterrorism here in the HRC and in other fora. We realize that the sponsors of this text have sought to introduce a different perspective to ongoing discussions on terrorism before this Council. Had there been more time and sufficient negotiations, we believe that we could have overcome these problems yet again and produced a result that all delegations could have supported.
Unfortunately, that was not the path taken in this case, and so we are calling for a vote and urge urge other Council members to vote no.